Partner description
Partner role
Persons involved
Prof. dr Violette Geissen
Overall project coordinator She is a personal professor in Soil Physics and Land Management group with with >20 years of experience in soil sciences and agronomy. She has published >80 articles in international scientific journals (H-index: 29, cited 3284 times). Other relevant experiences include the coordination of large international projects, such as EU H2020 project SPRINT and EU-projects CariWatNet and CASCADE.
Prof. dr. Coen Ritsema
is Researcher at the Soil Physics and Land Management group with expertise in the area of soil microbiology and micro-ecology in natural- and agricultural soils. Special interest in sustainable soil management practices and the effect on soil life. Ample experience in developing tools to extract soil micro-organismal DNA and RNA.
Dr. Nicolas Beriot
He is post-doc at Soil Physics and Land Management group on the synergetic effects of plastic debris and pesticides residues on soil fertility in farms. His work ranges from adapting methods for microplastic extraction to analyzing soil microbiome. He was coordinating expert for the EIP-Agri focus group about plastic footprint in agriculture.
Dr. Harkes
Researcher at the Soil Physics and Land Management group with expertise in the area of soil microbiology and micro-ecology in natural- and agricultural soils. Special interest in sustainable soil management practices and the effect on soil life. Ample experience in developing tools to extract soil micro-organismal DNA and RNA.
Dr. Esperanza Huerta Lwanga
Senior Researcher, with > 18 years of experience on soil ecology, focusing on soil health assessment in natural and managed areas. She has published > than 50 articles in international scientific journals (H-index 22, cited 1589 times). Other relevant experiences include participation in international projects, such as EU H2020 Diverfarming project, and projects related with microplastics in soils and in invertebrates.
Dr. Fanrong Meng
a post-doc at the Soil Physics and Land Management group of WUR. His expertise in the area of the effects of microplastics on soil-plant system, e.g. carbon and nitrogen dynamics, microbial communities and plant growth.
Dr. Xiaomei Yang
Lecturer on Soil Physics and Land Management group with wide experience on soil chemical processes. She has published >30 articles in international scientific journals (H-index 17, cited 791 times). Expert on the interaction of pesticides and soil properties and microplastics.
Dr. Stefan Geisen
Assistant Professor at the Laboratory of Nematology, Department of Plant Sciences is a renowned expert on soil biodiversity specially on protists and nematodes interactions with the soil microbiome. He applies diverse methods including deep-sequencing and complex bioinformatics in study systems ranging from natural to agricultural settings. He has published 60 papers in scientific journals (H-index 21, cited 1356 times).
Dr. Mahrooz Rezaei
researcher at Soil Physics and Land Management Group of WUR. She is an expert in soil wind erosion and dust emission and is working on transport of microplastics in the interface between soil and atmosphere. She has ample experience in studying airborne microplastics and their potential effect on human health.
Rozita Soltani
currently pursuing her PhD in Soil Physics and Land Management group, where her focus centers on unraveling the complexities of solute and contaminant transport within the soil. Her expertise shines in the field of soil physics, showcasing a deep-rooted comprehension of these critical environmental dynamics.